Ohio State notes: Meyer looking for more offensive balance

Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer is apparently a tough guy to please.
The Buckeyes (3-0) enter Saturday’s game against visiting Florida A&M averaging 44.7 points and 504 yards of offense per game.
Still, Meyer will be looking for something more from his offense against 57-point underdog Florida A&M, and for the rest of the season.
“We were very one-dimensional last year, and we’re still not quite where we want to be,” said Meyer on Tuesday during the Big Ten teleconference. “At the end of the day, we’d like to be as close as we can to 50-50 run-pass, and we’re not there yet.
“The best offenses in America have balance to them.”
Through three games, Ohio State has run the ball 140 times for 856 yards. The Buckeyes have completed 58 of 85 passes for 657 yards.
Nine touchdowns have come via the run, seven via the pass.
But consistency in the run-pass game isn’t the only type Meyer is looking for. He would also like to see consistency in effort and on the scoreboard.
Ohio State has scored 134 points this season, 68 of them coming in the first quarter. OSU also seems to be starting fast in the third quarter, putting up 35 points there.
The second (28) and fourth (three) quarters are OSU’s least productive. Granted, blowout victories when OSU might be whittling away at the clock could account for the low fourth-quarter numbers.
“We’re 3-for-3 now coming out of the gate fast,” Meyer said. “Last year, we were not that way at all.”
Meyer said the next battle of consistency comes when Ohio State has a substantial lead, the opposition makes an adjustment or the Buckeyes fail to execute.
“Those are all what we are currently addressing as a staff and as a team,” he said.Miller practices
Quarterback Braxton Miller, who missed all of last week’s game against California and all but one series against San Diego State with a sprained knee, was scheduled to take part in practice on Tuesday afternoon.
Meyer said Miller “is right on schedule,” and “hopefully gets some stuff done (Tuesday).”
On Monday, Meyer termed Miller “probable.” Meyer said his options Saturday are: start one and play the other “a couple series,” play Kenny Guiton if Miller isn’t totally healthy, with Miller being “kind of a guy in an emergency situation,” or have a couple of plays in the game plan with both Guiton and Miller on the field.
Meyer didn’t sound optimistic about the third option. While Meyer had success with that in 2006 at Florida with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow, he didn’t sound convinced a full-fledged two-QB system could work.
In 2006, Leak threw for 2,950 yards and 23 TDs, while then-freshman Tebow ran for 469 yards and eight TDs in goal-line and general run situations.
“I think the thing Tebow and Chris Leak gave us was two unique styles of quarterback that were (like) a curve ball and a fastball,” Meyer said.
Meyer indicated Guiton and Miller have too similar of a skill set for that.
“So I’m not sure that would be ideal,” Meyer said. “But I can see getting Kenny a couple of reps in there sometimes.”
In the weekly depth chart that was released on Tuesday, Miller is listed as the starter.Trickeration
Ohio State wasn’t completely duped by California last week when the Golden Bears successfully ran a fake punt in the second quarter.
But Meyer said the manner in which it was done might be something for the NCAA rules committee to consider at what Meyer termed, “at the appropriate time.”
Cal’s punter Cole Leininger and quarterback Jared Goff wear the same number. Many thought the Golden Bears were punting when they lined up in formation against OSU.
Goff completed the 11-yard pass for a first down.
Meyer said the coaching staff noticed it was Goff in punt formation, but the play worked anyway.
“I’m not a big fan of of tricking people with numbers,” Meyer said. ‘I’m not saying they did, but it’s not by accident the quarterback and punter had the same number and are the same body frame.
“I’m not complaining about it, because it’s all by the rules. But there should be some type of rule (against the punter and quarterback having the same number).”Depth chart tidbits
-- Carlos Hyde, who will return this week from a three-game suspension, does not appear on the four-deep at running back.
-- Adolphus Washington, who missed the Cal game with a groin injury, is listed as starting defensive end over freshman Joey Bosa.